Awakening
by snarkysweetness
Summary: Princess Emma awakens Pinocchio with True Love's Kiss; an AU of season two.


**Title:** Awakening  
**Chapter One:** The Princess  
**Author:** snarkysweetness  
**Rating:** NC-17 (For Later Chapters)  
**Characters: **Emma, August/Pinocchio, Henry, Ruby, Granny, Geppetto/Marco, The Blue Fairy, Archie, Snow, & Charming; Emma/August, Snow/Charming, & Ruby/Archie  
**Summary:** Princess Emma awakens Pinocchio with True Love's Kiss; an AU of season two.  
**Warnings: **Explicit sex and filthy language; I wanted to see how far I could go with this so be warned.  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.  
**Author's Notes:** Many thanks to hunksandwich for the beta. This is full of porn but it also has a lot of emotion and heart and it's one of my favorite things that I've ever written. I've been sitting on this thing for a long time, because I just want it perfect, but I figured it was time to unveil it to you all. This is shall be four chapters long and I'm going to space out posting it so that you're all tortured (evil laugh). Wooden Swan Crew, this is your Captain's Valentine's present to you all, so I hope you enjoy.

The Princess trailed her fingers along the smooth wood, enjoying the sensation its cool, hard surface sent up her arm. It was a deep, rich, beautiful mahogany, or so she assumed. Emma had no fucking clue, to be honest, she wasn't a goddamn lumberjack. For all she knew it was some cheap knock-off, like she was. At least, that was how she viewed herself.

Emma didn't feel like a princess. People could keep calling her that all they wanted but it wouldn't magically make it true. She wasn't going to throw on a dress and a corset while attending some royal ball to meet her own Prince Charming; she loathed dresses and she didn't need a prince, aside from Henry.

No, Emma didn't need a man, though, she supposed, in a way, she already had one. And he certainly wasn't a fucking prince. She had no idea what he was and she didn't care; he could be fucking Santa Claus as long as this crackpot plan worked and he was alive at the end of the day.

The stairs groaned beneath her feet and she continued on her trek up the dark stairwell.

There was no way this was going to work. It was a stupid idea. They should be off finding some pixie or fairy or whatever the Hell kind of dust it was to bring him back. Henry's idea was…his heart was in the right place, but Emma had convinced herself that it wouldn't work.

_So why are you doing this? And why are you terrified at what it could mean if it doesn't work? Hell, if it does work you'll be equally as terrified about what it does mean._

"Shut up," she muttered to herself, wondering how in the Hell she'd even been talked into doing this.

"_We have to do something," Emma insisted, her eyes darting to poor Marco-no, Geppetto._

_Mom. Dad. Gep-_

_Emma forced her eyes shut, trying to fight off the oncoming headache. She'd had the week from Hell. Threatening to take Henry, her fight with August, kidnapping Henry, his 'death', August's transformation, slaying the dragon, breaking the curse, and on top of it, reuniting with her parents. If her father (which was still weird to say) hadn't insisted that Emma rest before trying to save August again, she'd be dead on her feet right now. _

_It had been two days since she'd broken the curse and everyone had done everything in their power to try and save August. According to the Blue Fairy breaking the curse should have worked; she'd all but implied August was dead and nothing could be done. But Emma, Henry, and Geppetto all refused to accept that as his fate. _

_The others, however…_

_Even if they didn't say it aloud, they seemed to agree with The Blue Fairy. Emma could see the guilty gaze her mother sent her way, the stubborn set of her father's jaw when Emma suggested new tactics, and the look of pity in Ruby's eyes. Even Granny, who had a soft spot for August, seemed to be losing faith. _

"_Maybe she's right, Geppetto, I'm sorry but…" Archie reached for his old friend, but Geppetto shrugged him off, burying his face in his hands. He didn't want to hear anyone else suggest that August was gone and that all hope was lost. The old man began to mutter to himself in Italian and Henry, her sweet, precious boy, leaned in and wrapped his arms around him. Emma could see him smiling before he reached down and returned Henry's hug._

_Geppetto and Henry shared an unyielding belief in the impossible and Henry's love for August was the only thing keeping Geppetto together._

_She watched them both fondly; Henry was the only thing she'd ever done right in her life. _

_A dejected Archie leaned back in his chair and Ruby took his hand gently, a warm, loving expression on her features. Archie returned her gaze and Ruby's lips curled into a small grin before she placed a small kiss on his cheek._

_Emma turned away, feeling as though she was intruding._

"_I know this is hard for you, Your Majesty, trust me…Pinocchio…you're not the only ones who love him. If I had a way to bring him back, I would, but this world-"_

"_We know, magic is unpredictable," Snow whispered, her hand in Charming's, where it had been since the curse broke. Emma had yet to see either leave the other's side. It was sweet. _

"_Can't we find some dust or-whatever?"_

_Emma didn't know how any of this worked. Some Princess she was. _

"_The dwarves are in the mines looking, but Emma, I think-"_

"_No, dad, we're not giving up. August was the only person who did everything to help me. That's the _only _thing he did. He tried so hard to get me to believe and break the curse and it's my fault he's gone. I can't let him down."_

_They'd let each other down enough. After leaving her as a child, she'd basically let him die. As far as Emma was concerned, they were even. _

"_Pinocchio is a good boy," Geppetto whispered, patting Henry on the back. "Like young Henry here. Are you sure he's not-"_

_Emma shot Geppetto a 'look'. She understood the old man's desire to be a grandfather, but she and Pinocchio's lives hadn't worked out to be the fairytale it was meant to be. She could picture it now: A rebellious Princess sneaking around with her childhood playmate; the Woodcarver's son. It would start off small, just flirting; a thrill for her and for him, the only way he could get the Princess he loved alone. One thing would lead to another and Henry would have still been born._

_Or if he'd stuck around, maybe he would have been the asshole who got her pregnant at seventeen._

_She was sure either scenario would be perfect for one of August's books, but this wasn't a fucking fairytale. The curse had happened and he hadn't stayed. Henry's paternity was something she couldn't change, even if she wished she could._

"_Why don't you kiss him?"_

_All of the eyes in the room turned to Henry._

"_What?"_

_Henry pulled away from Geppetto and sat up in his chair, smiling._

"_If he's still alive that means he's under a curse. True Love's Kiss can break any curse."_

"_Henry, I don't know-" Emma began before Granny cut her off._

"_The boy has a point. The whole town knows what the two of you were up to."_

_Emma's mouth dropped open. _

"_I don't know what you're-"_

"_Hmmm, I wouldn't go that far, Granny, wolf's hearing and all, I know it wasn't what everyone assumed it was." Ruby sent Emma a wink and Emma's cheeks went beet red. _

"_August and I were not-"_

"_Yes, but you wanted to. At least, he wanted to. I saw the way he looked at you." Snow squeezed Charming's hand and sent him a smile that reached her eyes. "It's the same way your father looks at me. Henry's right, if anything will work, it's a kiss."_

_Emma scoffed. _

"_But I don't-"_

_Geppetto's eyes went dark, as if any hope he had for seeing his son again was dying with her refusal of love._

"_What if it-"_

_Emma sighed, internally freaking out. They were all staring at her, as if they expected her to go, right now, and get it done. What if it didn't work? _

_What if it did?_

_No, it couldn't. Even if her mother was right about August, which she wasn't, Emma didn't fall in love, it just wasn't something she did. And sure, maybe, one or twice, she'd had the sexual fantasy about August, but love?_

_No way._

_Nope. _

_It wasn't going to happen. _

"_Come on, let's go try it!"_

_Henry jumped off of his chair and Emma grabbed him by the shirt collar._

"_Hold up, there, kid. If I do this, I don't need…"_

Crap.

_She was doing this, wasn't she?_

_Ruby smirked and exchanged a knowing glance with Archie and then Emma._

"_I think what your mom means is she wants to be alone."_

_Ruby winked in Emma's direction and Emma groaned._

"_Look, August doesn't need to wake up to a room full of people; I mean…I'm sure it will be traumatic enough for him. _If _this works. There's no guarantees. I'll do this because…well, it's something. But I don't think it's going to do anything."_

_Snow smirked. _

"_But you think it might?"_

_Emma rolled her eyes and stood._

"_I won't say what I'm thinking because Henry's here, but you all know what you can go do with yourselves."_

_She caught Granny giving her a bemused grin and Emma shook her head and moved towards the back of the diner, entering the hallway to the Inn. She felt a presence behind her and she turned to find Geppetto._

"_This will work," he insisted before Emma could speak. He took her hand and kissed it before giving it a tight squeeze and letting it go. "He loves you. I didn't get to spend much time with him, but even then, as Marco, I could see how much he loved you. You'll bring my boy back."_

_Emma didn't know what to say so when he gave her a small bow and left her alone, she was grateful._

So, here she was, lurking in the hallway outside of his room, feeling like an idiot, because she was about to attempt some bullshit thing from storybooks because her ten-year old kid suggested it.

Some part of her was convinced she was going to wake up and all of this magic and curses and fairytales crap was going to just be one big, long nightmare of hers. Even if she knew it was all real now, she still couldn't believe it most of the time. She didn't think she'd ever fully believe any of it.

With a deep, resounded sigh, Emma finally reached for the doorknob. She slowly turned the handle and pushed the door open, the sound resonating throughout the empty Inn. This all seemed incredibly eerie to her: Granny's completely quiet, the dark room, and her Puppet lying motionless in the same place she'd left him hours ago.

Her Puppet.

She shook it off. Her stupid thoughts meant nothing. She just had to kiss him and then…

Well, she didn't know what. But she'd figure it out. She always managed.

Emma lingered in the doorway nervously. This would be the first time she kissed him and she was going to do it while he was…Wooden? Transformed? Possibly dead?

Did that make this necrophilia?

Emma shook off the thought and stepped into the room, feeling silly. She'd do it and he wouldn't wake up and they'd go find some dust in the mines and bring him back and she'd be able to tell Henry that she at least tried.

Kicking the door shut, Emma approached the bed anxiously, telling herself that he was just asleep and there was nothing weird or creepy about kissing him. It was hard to do when the retreating sun filtering in through the windows reflected off his glossy form, but she was able to make herself sit on the edge of the bed and take his stiff hand in her own, much smaller, much softer one.

Her mind flashed to the night he'd transformed before her eyes and she fought back a wave of fresh guilt and grief. He wasn't dead, she reminded herself, and she refused to believe it. Everyone else could assume what they wanted about their relationship, but she knew the truth. He was her best friend. The one person she trusted with her life. The person she'd turned to when she had no hope for Henry. He was hers. She didn't know what that meant, but the idea of living without him killed her inside.

Maybe she didn't need to be _in_ love with him for this to work. Who was to say what kind of love was 'True Love'? After all, kissing Henry, her son, had broken the curse, why couldn't kissing her best friend break his?

As she finally leaned over his form to lower her lips to his a small voice told her that this would work and it had nothing to do with friendship.

Emma pressed her lips against his awkwardly. His lips were rock hard and cold, so unlike the man who resided within the wooden form. August was warm-hearted and kind and wonderful and-

She pulled back with a gasp and reached for her swollen lips which were now warm to the touch. A warm, white light filled the room as a gush of air pushed through it. She stared down in amazement as she watched August transform before her eyes. The air in the room stilled as he suddenly took a deep, frantic breath.

A loud sigh of relief escaped her lips as everything came crashing down on her.

August was _alive_. He was back, because of her. The kid's damn plan worked, which meant…

Emma laughed as his eyelids lifted and she could see his deep, clear blue eyes staring back at her.

"August, I lo-"

August pulled her down by the back of the neck and placed a firm kiss on her lips. Emma let out a small moan and her hands went right for his messy hair. His tongue pushed through her lips, begging for access to her mouth and she granted him passage, wanting nothing more than to kiss him until both of their lips were bruised and cracked.

She nipped at his bottom lip and allowed him to move her onto her back and press her into the mattress. As their mouths continued to explore the other's and their bodies became a tangles mess of limbs one thought kept running through her mind:

_I'm in love with Pinocchio._


End file.
